Use It or Lose It--The Importance of Strength Training for Seniors

Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, CSCS, is fitness research director at Quincy College in Quincy, Massachusetts. As an athlete, coach, teacher, professor, researcher, author, and speaker, Westcott has more than 38 years of experience in strength training and is recognized as a leading authority on fitness.

For over 25 years, Westcott has focused on strength training instruction and research for adults 50 to 100 years of age. His landmark study at the John Knox Village Nursing Home increased awareness of the benefits of strength training for seniors with various health conditions and fitness levels and led to the implementation of strength training centers in more than 500 nursing homes.

Westcott has served as a strength training consultant for numerous national organizations and programs, including Nautilus, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the National School Fitness Foundation, the International Association of Fitness Professionals, the American Council on Exercise, the YMCA of the USA, and the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation. Through his work with these organizations, he has also received numerous awards, including the Hall of Fame Award from the International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA), Fitness Industry Leader Award from the National Strength Professionals Association, the Massachusetts Governor’s Council Lifetime Achievement Award, the IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award, the IFPA Lifetime Achievement Award, the President’s Council Healthy American Fitness Leader Award, and the Alumni Recognition Award from Pennsylvania State University.

Westcott has authored or coauthored 24 books on strength training, including Building Strength & Stamina, Strength Training for Seniors, and Complete Conditioning for Golf. In addition, he has served on the editorial boards of The Physician and Sportsmedicine, ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, On-Site Fitness, Prevention, Shape, Men’s Health, Fitness, Club Industry, American Fitness Quarterly, Nautilus, Bottom Line Women’s Health, and Fitness Management. Westcott also serves on advisory boards for the International Council on Active Aging and the National Association for Health and Fitness. He is also an executive committee member for the New England chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Westcott lives in Abington, Massachusetts, with his wife, Claudia. He enjoys staying physically active through running, cycling, and strength training.

The Raising the Bar webinar series provides personal trainers, group fitness instructors, strength and conditioning coaches, students, and other fitness enthusiasts with another avenue to obtain practical fitness information and education. We have covered a wide range of topics, some of which include stretching, group fitness instruction, nutrition, balance training, and aquatic exercise.